A Moment of Hanging
by GeorgeAndrews
Summary: Two friends finally get a moment to hang. Set sometime after 9x17. A sequel to 'The Start of Hanging'.


A/N - First ever story, a short one to test the water.

* * *

Flack and Messer were sat at the side of the basketball court on a freezing cold day in November. Both wore long tracksuits and Danny had even wrapped himself up in a scarf, hat and gloves once they stopped for a break. He grumbled to himself as he sipped the cup of hot coffee that Flack had gone to fetch him.

"This was a stupid idea," he moaned, hunched over and clasping his gloved hands around the cardboard cup.

"This was your idea," Flack replied as he casually leant back against the wire fence behind them. The cold didn't bother him all that much. He was still warm from their game and the walk to the cafe round the corner to get the coffee.

"Well it sucks. Next time I have a bright idea, I give you permission to call me on it."

Flack snorted with laughter and the sip of coffee he'd just taken poured back out from his nose, returning to the cup.

"Oh that is disgusting," said Danny, grimacing and sliding away down the bench while Flack howled in pain at his burnt nose. "I hope you're not gonna drink that now."

Flack glared at his friend and took a big gulp, swallowing it down in one. Danny made a face and slid away even further.

"You're so gross."

"Not gonna waste good coffee, Mess. Not after I was the one who had to walk all the way to get it."

"At least you didn't have to wait here freezing your butt off," Danny scowled.

"You coulda come too."

"Too cold to walk."

Flack rolled his eyes and smiled. For a scientist Danny sure had a funny sense of logic. Danny shifted back to sit next to Flack and they huddled closer together as the wind whipped round them. Danny watched Flack take another sip and made a face again.

"Mmmm snot coffee."

Flack shot him a look. "If you're not careful I'll swap it for yours when you're not looking."

Danny looked horrified and Flack couldn't stop the laughter that poured from him.

"By the way, that last shot didn't count," Danny said loudly, trying to shut his friend up.

Flack's laughter stopped immediately. "What? Come on, Mess. It counted and you can't say otherwise."

"I believe I just did, detective!"

Flack shot him a look and this time it was Danny who burst out laughing.

"This is good, isn't it?" Flack said grinning, simply enjoying the moment of hanging with his best friend. They'd both come so far since the days when they did this almost four times a week.

Danny nodded, "Yeah...yeah it is."

"We should never have stopped playing."

"Kinda had to there, chump."

Flack nodded a little sadly and looked off past Danny at the buildings surrounding them. He watched the little activity he could see through the windows for a moment before murmuring, "Life." He almost said it to himself.

"Yep. Damn that life, getting in the way of everything," Danny said smiling, nudging Flack's side softly.

Flack barely heard him, he was too caught up watching a small boy in one of the windows. He clasped a figurine tightly in his hand and was walking it along the sill, no doubt having a marvellous game. Suddenly a hand appeared on his shoulder and pulled him back from the window. The next second a rather angry looking woman peered out before drawing the curtains shut tightly. It was only then that Flack realised the light had gone and the day had taken a rather grey and dull turn. He looked up and saw an ominous sky rolling with dark clouds that looked threatening.

"Hey, you with me, man?"

Flack blinked and turned to stare right into the eyes of Danny Messer.

"Where'd you go?" Danny asked conversationally.

Flack shook his head slightly, bringing himself back to the present. He noticed Danny's coffee now sat on the bench next to him, nearly empty, while he'd barely even taken two sips of his own.

"I've missed us hanging out," Flack sighed, moving his cup in circular motions so the liquid inside swirled around.

"Me too," Danny agreed.

"How's Lindsay doing?" asked Flack, focusing his attention back on the man beside him.

"She's okay. Missing work though."

"And the baby?"

"Due any day now."

"What does Luce think?"

"I dunno. The minds of children, man..." Danny shrugged and trailed off.

"Wouldn't have thought you'd have any trouble there, Mess," grinned Flack.

Danny scowled at him and shivered slightly. Flack watched as the smaller man seemed to shrink even more into himself as he wrapped his arms tightly around his body, protecting it from the wind. Flack didn't understand it. They were both born and bred in New York, had both spent their entire lives there and yet while he felt somewhat cold, Danny seemed to be unbearably so.

"I swear you're a robot," Danny moaned as he watched Flack, head slightly tilted.

Flack smirked. "Guess I'm just the tougher man, Mess."

"Yeah, say that to me again when you have your first kid. Then we'll see who's laughing!"

Danny giggled at his own joke which made Flack smile.

"Can't believe you're gonna have two soon and I'm not even close to one," Flack mused aloud.

"Hey, I got five years on you...no need to play catch up just yet, bud," Danny said cheerfully.

Flack glanced down again into his still nearly full cup. "I tell you me and Jamie broke up?" he said suddenly.

"Aww man, I'm sorry," Danny said in slight shock. He reluctantly unwrapped an arm from his body and patted the taller man on the back. "What happened?"

"I dunno. Just one of those things I guess. Started off all hot and steamy and then just kinda..."

"Dwindled?" Danny finished helpfully as he tucked his arm back around himself.

"Yeah, dwindled," Flack nodded. He sighed loudly. "Maybe I'm just meant to be alone."

Danny watched his friend sadly as they sat in silence contemplating life. After some time Danny picked up his cup and drained the last of his now cold coffee. He then placed it back down where it immediately blew away when a strong gust of wind passed about them. Danny turned to Flack and shrugged.

"Littering's an offence, man," Flack nodded as they watched the cup blow across the court.

"It's only a violation," Danny scoffed. "What you gonna do about it anyway?"

Flack shrugged. "Fine you?"

Danny grinned. "Tell you what, I'll give you a free piece of advice and we'll call it even?"

Flack rolled his eyes. "Go on then. What wise Messer advice are you going to impart on me today?"

Danny gave Flack a look before continuing. "You need to stop falling for cops."

"What?" Flack asked rather sharply.

"You know what I mean, man. First there was that crush you had on Aiden. Then there was Jess," Danny said.

"You're point being?" Flack asked irritated.

"You know my point. We both know what happened to them. You're always gonna be worried that might happen if you date another cop."

"You did!" Flack snapped.

"Yeah, Linds is a CSI. That's different, we spend most our time in the lab or analyzing scenes. We're not actually out there doing what you do," Danny explained wearily.

Flack pursed his lips but said nothing. Danny could see anger flashing behind his eyes and knew he'd wound his friend up.

"Look, man, I'm sorry if that was out of line but you gotta hear it. You wanna be happy one day, don't ya?" he asked.

All the energy seemed to drain out of Flack and he suddenly looked rather deflated. "I'm sorry, Danno," he mumbled.

"That's ok," Danny smiled as he looked at his friend in concern.

Flack sighed and returned his look. "It's just you kinda hit the nail on the head. Jamie broke up with me cos she said I was too overbearing, too overprotective which is stupid cos that's not me. I've never been like that."

"I dunno, Flack, you do kinda have this big brother syndrome going on," Danny muttered and then shut up straight away at the look he received from the tall detective.

"Not helpful, Mess."

Danny nodded and wiped the grin off his face.

"The thing is Jamie's a great cop. She's tough and can handle herself so I don't know why I was like that. I never was with Jess..."

"But then she died on the job," Danny said softly, watching his friend carefully for a reaction. "You'd naturally be worried that might happen again."

Flack nodded slowly. "Maybe you're right. No more cops."

"Did you really even like her that much?" Danny asked cautiously.

Flack thought about it for a moment. "Not all that much. It was just kinda nice to like anyone again after Jess." He paused for a moment and then frowned. "Why? Didn't you?"

Danny shrugged and turned to stare across the court. "I dunno. She just seemed...a little irksome."

Flack smiled. "You're irksome, Mess."

Danny elbowed Flack in the side and the two men laughed playfully. Suddenly Danny flung an arm round Flack's shoulders, giving him a slight hug. "You'll find someone, man, don't worry."

Flack smiled at him. He could always rely on Danny. His best friend.

"I say we call it a day," muttered Danny as a huge gust of wind caused him to shiver violently.

"Oh come on, Mess. It ain't that bad," Flack said positively as he once more glanced at the sky. If anything it had grown darker.

Danny sighed and suddenly stood up, walking onto the court and, bouncing on the balls of his feet and stretching his arms out to the sides.

"What are you doing?" asked Flack in puzzlement.

"Movement. Trying to keep warm. Been sat there far too long."

He was rather entertaining to watch and Flack smiled as he looked at his friend dancing curiously in front of him.

"You look stupid," Flack stated.

"Ruining your game, am I?" Danny said cheekily, giving Flack a wink.

"Yeah. This game," Flack snarked. "We're supposed to be two macho cops playing ball, not ballerinas."

"Lucy's been teaching me," Danny grinned and he pirouetted on the spot, enjoying the reaction it caused in Flack. "You should join in, I'm not even cold anymore."

Flack looked at him scornfully. "No way in hell. And I wasn't even cold in the first place."

"That's not what your nose is telling me," Danny said matter-of-factly.

"What?" Flack frowned.

"Your nose...it's red," Danny explained.

"I'm pretty sure my whole face is red what with you dancing around like that," Flack moaned. He glanced round to see if anyone was watching them while Danny giggled.

"It's probably just burnt from the coffee you exhaled," Danny said thoughtfully, pausing in his dance for a moment.

Flack shook his head in exasperation at the shorter man's antics. Danny might be annoying and irksome sometimes but he never failed to put Flack in a good mood and make him laugh. Of course Flack would never let him know that.

"You know, that's gonna be cold now," Danny nodded at the coffee still held in Flack's hands.

"I'm a cop, when do I ever get a hot cup of coffee?" Flack muttered.

"Come on then. Let's play some more ball before it rains," Danny shouted and he grabbed the ball off the ground and threw it at Flack.

The ball knocked the younger man's coffee from his hands and it went flying, spilling all over his face and tracksuit. Flack glared angrily at Danny as a large brown drip fell from his nose and the smaller man burst into raucous laughter.

"You got a little something, something!" Danny laughed, pointing to his own nose with one hand whilst he wiped away a tear with his other.

"Oh really?" Flack said sarcastically as he wiped off his face with a sleeve.

"Mmm, snot coffee face," giggled Danny.

Flack stared at Danny in disbelief, the CSI was almost bent double he was laughing so much. All of a sudden Flack found himself smiling and then joining in. It was impossible not to, Danny's laughter was infectious.

Suddenly there was a loud rumble and the heavens opened, sheets of icy rain pouring down on top of them and soaking them to the skin instantly.

"Flack, m'cold," Danny whinged from where he stood on the court, shivering and sopping wet.

"So your dance didn't work then?" Flack shouted as he stood and went to pick up the ball. By the time he made it back over to Danny he could barely see through the thick rain and Danny was shivering uncontrollably.

"Come on, bud. Let's get in somewhere warm," he said, putting an arm round the shivering man.

"I s...s...second that," stammered Danny.

The two men made their way from the court and down the street towards the subway that would take them home. Just as they reached the stairs Flack muttered, "On the plus side, I don't think my nose is burnt anymore."

The look Danny gave him was priceless.


End file.
